


Monday Blues

by mansikka



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-16
Updated: 2019-06-16
Packaged: 2020-05-13 01:51:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19241410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mansikka/pseuds/mansikka
Summary: Alex and Michael drive back to Roswell after a night under the stars. Alex is not looking forward to going to work in the morning.





	Monday Blues

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my offering for what is I think my third prompt from the [Reverse Prompts Challenge](https://reverseprompts.tumblr.com/post/185623859967/reverse-prompt-challenge-4-flying-kitesthis) over on Tumblr. 
> 
> Art is by the lovely @envydean
> 
> Happy reading!
> 
> * * *
> 
>   
> 

They've been on the road for hours.

This is their thing on weekends when they have no other plans, or just need to put some distance between Roswell and themselves. They left yesterday lunchtime, spending the night in the back of Michael's truck laid out under the stars. Michael fussed as he always does about Alex's leg, and him needing to be _well-rested_ because of it. Alex turns to press a kiss into his shoulder as they drive, shifting in his seat for a physical reminder of how he'd let Michael know his leg was just _fine_.

"What are you thinking about?" Michael says, turning to smile.

"Nothing," Alex replies, nuzzling against him. "Just that we're heading home. And it's Monday tomorrow. I'm not ready."

"Aww. You telling me you've got Monday Blues?"

Alex smiles for the kiss to the back of his hand, Michael raising it from where it's been in his lap for the entire drive. He looks out at the horizon of desert, occasional tree, and peak in the distance, wishing he could stop the speed of the sun crossing the sky overhead. It's getting towards dusk already, and a few short hours from now their day will be done. He doesn't _want_ it to be. " _Yes_."

"Work's okay though, right?" Michael asks in concern. He worries about _everything_ to do with Alex. Though Alex is no better about _him_.

Alex pulls their hands across into his own lap to play with Michael's fingers. "It's fine."

"Just _fine_?"

"It's okay. For now."

"Still thinking about leaving?" Michael asks, running his thumb over the back of Alex's. The possibility of him leaving the army fills so many of their conversations these days. Some days it feels like it's the only thing he thinks about.

"I am," Alex agrees with a sigh. Since he started looking, he's realized there are so many possibilities for him for work. Even the thought of a civilian life, without the security of the army to back him up, grows more appealing by the day. Once, it would have probably meant isolation and a restless, unsatisfied life. But the future Alex pictures for himself doesn't look anything like that now. Because it will be a life lived with Michael by his side. Which is something he's been dreaming about, really, since they were seventeen.

"Well. You know you don't have to make any rash decisions."

"I thought you of all people would be _pleased_ I wanted to leave," Alex teases, because he knows Michael is only looking out for him.

"Believe me. Some days all I wanna do is kidnap you from that damn base and drag you off somewhere."

"Wasn't that just last weekend?" Alex watches Michael in profile as his face splits into another smile.

"Might've been."

Alex can still hear the whistles and hollers from several so-called _friends_ on the base, from when Michael had come to pick him up. And he can still see the teasing eyes checking him over on the Monday morning when he'd been late for them getting a flat tire. He'd hated going to work that day too. But at least the drive to work had been a _rushed_ one, and missing Michael wasn't something he'd had much time to think about.

"Anyway," Michael says as he adjusts in his seat. "I just want you to be sure what you're doing. That you're leaving because _you_ wanna leave. Not because anyone else is making you feel like you should."

He means himself. Michael hates the thought of being Alex's reason for giving up something that's been a vital part of his life for so many years. Though he _is_ part of the reason; he's just not all of it. Alex has tried to explain that to him more than once. But who would Michael be if not self-deprecating, or not thinking the very worst of himself? Alex leans across the seats to steal a kiss that takes Michael's eyes from the road, and earns him an incredulous smile.

" _Driving_ here."

"You're a great driver. I trust you," Alex says with a shrug, knowing Michael will keep them safe no matter what.

"Are you changing the subject on me?"

"Not really," Alex replies. "Michael. This isn't like my _dad_ , when I felt I had to join up because of him. If I leave, it's because I _want_ to leave. Because I want to do something else with my life. You're _part_ of that life."

"Oh, you can do me anyway. Anywhere," Michael adds, winking at him. "You already do."

"You know what I mean," Alex says laughing. "I just don't want you blaming yourself for it, is all. I think it's what I want."

"Well. Whatever you need, and whatever you want. I'm behind you one hundred percent. You know that, right, Alex?"

Alex smiles, because of course he knows that; Michael supports him in everything. He drops his head on Michael's shoulder, returning to watching the view go by in silence. They don't get more than three miles before Alex is sitting up for the sudden jolt of the car as they move off the road. "What happened?"

"Nothing happened," Michael, nodding off to their side. "There was somewhere I wanted us to stop on the way back. 'Specially now, since you've got your Monday Blues and all."

"Are _you_ looking forward to work in the morning?"

"My day'll be full of surprises, no matter what," Michael says, shrugging. Michael loves fixing things, the more complicated the better. Maybe it's not the career Alex knows he could have if he wanted bigger things for himself, but Michael is happy as he is. And because Michael is happy, Alex can't help be. There isn't anything he wants more for him than that.

"Okay. So, where are we going?"

"You'll see. Come here," Michael says, quickly checking the road again before he leans in to steal a kiss of his own.

They park at the foot of a peak that Alex thinks he'll be able to climb with no difficulty. Though Michael has thought of that as well, coaxing him to jump on his back barely before he's even out of the truck.

"I'll break you."

"You haven't broken me yet," Michael replies, with a wink and lingering look over him that says he can only be remembering last light. "So come on. Hop on."

Alex thinks the only time he's been carried as an adult has been when _injured_. Or when Michael has picked him up for… other things. _This_ feels silly, and Alex loves him all the more for it, laughing when Michael jumps to adjust him on his back.

"See? Not so bad. Now," Michael says, lurching forward and making Alex call out laughing again. "Grab that thing, would you?"

"That?" Alex checks, pointing at something red and pointy sticking out beneath a tarp.

"Yep."

Alex tugs until it's free, holding up the bright red kite to inspect, pressing kisses to the side of Michael's head. "Kite flying?"

"Never done it?"

"With _my_ dad?" Alex says, with a bitter snort of laughter. "No."

"One of my foster places did when I was… maybe six. Seven. I started making 'em myself. Sometimes I fly one over the Airstream if I'm feeling like it."

Alex adjusts his grip on Michael's shoulders as they begin to make their way up the slope. "How come _we_ never have?"

"What do you think we're doing now?" Michael says in that half-exasperated tone Alex is helpless but to grin at.

Alex clutches tight to the kite the higher they get, worrying it might slip from his grip. He's thankful when it looks as though they're getting to the end of a ledge Michael is heading for, with a tall tree perched on its very tip.

"Here's perfect," Michael says as he bends to let him down, holding his hands out behind him to steady Alex as he stands.

"Don't we need to… fly it?" Alex asks as Michael points to a patch of grass for them to sit. He watches Michael tether the kite to the branches of a much smaller tree to their side, laughing when Michael throws himself down beside him and tugs him into his side.

Michael turns that exasperated look on him again before he looks at the kite laid flat on the ground. Alex smiles as it shudders there before slowly beginning to rise just for Michael looking at it. He drops his head on Michael's shoulder and snuggles closer to watch the kite fly, until its backdrop is the rising moon and brightening stars.

"How are those Monday Blues now?" Michael asks, turning enough to get a kiss to Alex's forehead.

Alex turns a little more, wrapping his arm around Michael's waist as he presses his face into his neck. "I don't want to think about tomorrow."

He's sure it's silly to feel so down about going to the base in the morning. Alex knows it's mostly because he's already missing Michael, and he hasn't even left him yet. But he snuggles closer, and Michael sighs as though to say he shares what he's feeling. They'll make plans to take a longer break away somewhere soon, just the two of them. When Monday Blues might be even worse when they return for having a longer stretch of time together. Alex doesn't want to think about that.

"Well," Michael says, running his hand up his back. "We don't have to go back right now."

"Stay?" Alex asks. It's unnecessary really, since it's been so long that Michael has thought of the cabin as home.

"I'll even cook."

"Breakfast too?"

"Now you're pushing it, Manes," Michael says, even as he squeezes him tighter and gets a kiss to the back of his hair.

Alex moves a little more so he can get both arms around him, turning his head so he can still watch the kite. "A little longer," he whispers, nuzzling against Michael's shoulder.

Michael nudges against him so Alex knows to look, and leans in for a kiss before offering his shoulder again. "We can stay as long as you like."


End file.
